Sure, sometimes Twitter feels like one big maelstrom of drivel — a digital platform for utter minutiae. But at other times the social media platform can be ridiculously awesome, especially when used the way Chris Hadfield is using it.

The Canadian astronaut and prolific tweeter has been sharing some breathtaking photographs from his five-month journey aboard the International Space Station. He’s garnered more than 290,000 followers so far, and the number is still growing.

Hadfield’s photos have included views from all corners of the Earth, from Gibraltar to Boston to Australia, with many racking up hundreds or even thousands of retweets. In the gallery above are some of NewsFeed’s recent favorites, complete with Hadfield’s commentary, from his @cmdr_hadfield twitter feed. Full disclosure: it was extremely difficult to choose from so many spectacular images. We still recommend browsing through the entire thing.

Along with his striking photographs, Hadfield also answers his followers’ questions and shares details about daily life aboard the International Space Station — where he arrived just over a month ago. For example: